Bullying in the Workplace?
You would hope that adults would leave the mentality of the school playground behind once they enter the working world, but after the Prime Minister has been accused for bullying some of his work colleagues at 10 Downing street, by the National Bullying Helpline, it has raised the issue of bullying in the workplace.
It seems the problem is widespread and those that are most affected are middle managers and women. Studies have shown that 54% of women have suffered from bullying compared to 35% of men.
Bullying can take many forms, from work overload, constant criticism or verbal abuse. The effects of all this mean that many victims take sick time off work as many work places are unable to deal with the issue.
So what should you do if you feel you are a victim of bullying at work. First and foremost you should confront bully and explain to them, that their behaviours towards you is unacceptable. If that is not successful and you are a member of a union, talk to your rep and explain the situation. They can then offer you help and support. Keep a diary of any instances in which you feel victimised and lastly if the situation does not improve you may need to submit a formal complaint.
The message is that, no one should feel victimised in their work environment. However, some will always see fit to take advantage of the situation and make allegations against work colleagues which are unfounded. This I feel is also a form of bullying working the other way round, so make sure that if you are going to make a complaint that you have definite reason to do so.
